Accessory and infant seat having accessory

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses an accessory and an infant seat having the accessory. The accessory includes a main body, an engaging portion and an operating member. The engaging portion is disposed on the main body and has a locking position for engaging with the infant seat and a releasing position for disengaging from the infant seat. The operating member is slidably disposed on the main body and is connected to the engaging portion. The operating member is operated to slide for switching the engaging portion between the locking position and the releasing position. The accessory moves the engaging portion to the locking or releasing position via sliding of the operating member, so that the accessory can be engaged with or detached from the infant seat. The accessory is convenient to operate and has a simple structure and a low manufacturing cost.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an accessory and an infant seatthereof, and more specifically, to an accessory having an operatingmember for performing locking and releasing operations and an infantseat thereof.

2. Description of the Prior Art

An infant seat is designed for ensuring safety of an infant in a car.The infant seat is assembled in the car to allow the infant sittingthereon for constraining the infant in the car, so as to ensure safetyof the infant while the car is moving. There are two kinds of safetyaccessories on the infant seat in the market: one is a five-point safetybelt, and the other one is a front protection body. The infant seathaving the front protection body mounted thereon can efficiently protectthe cervical spine of the infant. After the infant is sitting on theinfant seat, the front protection body is fixedly connected to theinfant seat. Because the front protection body does not completely fixthe infant on the infant seat, the infant can bend his body duringsudden collision or emergency brake and the front protection body canprovide a buffer to the infant, so as to reduce the impact to thecervical spine of the infant. The front protection body is usuallydetachable from the infant seat. In general, by operating an operatingmember on the front protection body, the front protection body can bedirectly detached from the infant seat. However, since the frontprotection body is easily detached from the infant seat due to wrongoperation of the operating member on the front protection body performedby a user, it may cause a great risk to safety of an infant in a car.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first purpose of the present invention is to provide an accessory thatis convenient to operate and has a low manufacturing cost.

A second purpose of the present invention is to provide an infant seathaving the aforesaid accessory mounted thereon for improving theoperational convenience of the infant seat and reducing themanufacturing cost of the infant seat.

The first purpose is achieved by an accessory of the present invention.The accessory includes a main body, an engaging portion, and anoperating member. The engaging portion is disposed on the main body. Theengaging portion has a locking position for engaging with an infant seatand a releasing position for disengaging from the infant seat. Theoperating member is slidably disposed on the main body and connected tothe engaging portion. The operating member is operated to slide forswitching the engaging portion between the locking position and thereleasing position.

Compared with the prior art, the accessory of the present inventionadopts the design in which the operating member can be operated to slidefor switching the engaging portion to the locking position or thereleasing position such that the accessory can be engaged with ordisengaged from the infant seat. The accessory is convenient to operateand has a simple structure and a low manufacturing cost.

Preferably, the engaging portion includes an engaging hook pivoted tothe main body. The engaging hook is connected to the operating member,and the engaging hook rotates between the locking position and thereleasing position via sliding of the operating member.

Preferably, the operating member has a connection pin fixed thereon, anda guide slot is formed on the engaging hook. The connection pin ismovably disposed in the guide slot, and the operating member rotates theengaging hook via the connection pin.

Preferably, the operating member further has an insertion member fixedthereon, and an insertion slot is formed on the engaging hook. Theinsertion member is inserted into or disengaged from the insertion slotvia sliding of the operating member.

Preferably, the engaging portion further includes a first elastic memberfor returning the engaging hook to its original position, and the firstelastic member is disposed between the engaging hook and the main body.

Preferably, the first elastic member drives the engaging hook to rotateto the releasing position.

Preferably, the accessory further includes a second elastic member forreturning the operating member to its original position, and the secondelastic member is disposed between the operating member and the mainbody.

Preferably, an elastic force of the first elastic member exerted uponthe engaging hook is larger than an elastic force of the second elasticmember exerted upon the engaging hook via the operating member.

Preferably, the accessory further includes an insertion pin and ablocking member. The insertion pin is slidably disposed on the operatingmember, the blocking member is fixed to the main body in a slidingdirection of the operating member for blocking the insertion pin, andthe operating member is slidable when the insertion pin is disengagedfrom the blocking member.

Preferably, a sliding slot is formed on the operating member, and theinsertion pin is slidably disposed in the sliding slot.

Preferably, the accessory further includes a third elastic member forreturning the insertion pin to its original position, and the thirdelastic member is disposed between the insertion pin and the operatingmember.

Preferably, the accessory further includes a secondary security lockslidably disposed on the main body, and the secondary security lockslides for pushing the insertion pin to be disengaged from the blockingmember.

Preferably, a ramped surface is formed on an end of the secondarysecurity lock, and the secondary security lock drives the insertion pinto slide via the ramped surface.

Preferably, the accessory further includes a fourth elastic member forreturning the secondary security lock to its original position, and thefourth elastic member is disposed between the secondary security lockand the main body.

Preferably, the main body includes a buffer portion and a connectionframe. The buffer portion is connected to the connection frame, and theengaging portion and the operating member are disposed on the connectionframe.

Preferably, the connection frame is slidably disposed at a side of thebuffer portion.

The second purpose is achieved by an infant seat of the presentinvention. The infant seat includes a seat body and the aforesaidaccessory. The engaging portion is detachably engaged with the seatbody.

Compared with the prior art, the infant seat of the present inventionhas the accessory mounted thereon. The accessory adopts the design inwhich the operating member can be operated to slide for switching theengaging portion to the locking position or the releasing position suchthat the accessory can be engaged with or disengaged from the infantseat. The accessory is convenient to operate and has a simple structureand a low manufacturing cost.

Preferably, the seat body has a transverse rod for engaging with theengaging portion.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt becomeobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiment that isillustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an infant seat of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a seat body of the infant seat of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagram of the seat body at a region “A” in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an accessory of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a connection frame of the accessory in FIG. 4after a buffer portion is detached.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the connection frame in FIG. 5 after a portion ofthe connection frame is omitted.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the connection frame in FIG. 6 at another viewingangle.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional diagram of the connection frame in FIG. 6along a cross-sectional line B-B.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional diagram of the connection frame in FIG. 8after an insertion member is disengaged from an insertion slot.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional diagram of the connection frame in FIG. 6along a cross-sectional line C-C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description for preferred embodiments of the presentinvention is provided with attached drawings as follows.

Please refer to FIG. 1 . An infant seat 200 of the present inventionincludes a seat body 201 and an accessory 100. As shown in FIGS. 4-8 ,the accessory 100 includes a main body 1, an engaging portion 2, and anoperating member 3. The engaging portion 2 is disposed on the main body1 and can be engaged with the seat body 201. The engaging portion 2 hasa locking position for engaging with the infant seat 200 and a releasingposition for disengaging from the infant seat 200. The operating member3 is slidably disposed on the main body 1 and is connected to theengaging portion 2. The operating member 3 can be operated to slide forswitching the engaging portion 2 between the locking position and thereleasing position. When the accessory 100 needs to be engaged with theseat body 201, the operating member 3 can be operated to slide formoving the engaging portion 2 to the locking position to be engaged withthe seat body 201. When the accessory 100 needs to be disengaged fromthe seat body 201, the operating member 3 can be operated to slide formoving the engaging portion 2 to the releasing position to be disengagedfrom the seat body 201, so that the accessory 100 can be detached fromthe seat body 201. The accessory 100 is convenient to operate and has asimple structure and a low manufacturing cost. As shown in FIG. 2 andFIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the seat body 201 has a transverse rod 201a disposed thereon, and the engaging portion 2 can be engaged with thetransverse rod 201 a to fix the accessory 100 on the seat body 201.

Please refer to FIGS. 7-9 . The engaging portion 2 could include anengaging hook 21 pivoted to the main body 1 and connected to theoperating member 3. Via sliding of the operating member 3, the engaginghook 21 can be rotatably switched between the locking position and thereleasing position. Specifically, a connection pin 34 is fixed on theoperating member 3, and a guide slot 212 is formed on the engaging hook21. The connection pin 34 is movably disposed in the guide slot 212. Theoperating member 3 can rotate the engaging hook 21 via the connectionpin 34. That is, the operating member 3 can be operated to slide formoving the connection pin 34, such that the connection pin 34 can pushthe engaging hook 21 to rotate. Moreover, the engaging portion 2 couldfurther include a first elastic member 22 for returning the engaginghook 21 to its original position. The first elastic member 22 isdisposed between the engaging hook 21 and the main body 1. Specifically,the first elastic member 22 is used to rotate the engaging hook 21toward the releasing position, but not limited thereto. For example, inanother embodiment, the first elastic member 22 could be used to rotatethe engaging hook 21 toward the locking position. In this embodiment,the first elastic member 22 could be a torsional spring, but not limitedthereto.

Please refer to FIGS. 7-9 . The accessory 100 could further include asecond elastic member 32 for returning the operating member 3 to itsoriginal position. The second elastic member 32 is disposed between theoperating member 3 and the main body 1. In this embodiment, the secondelastic member 32 is a compressed spring (but not limited thereto),wherein an elastic force of the first elastic member 22 is larger thanan elastic force of the second elastic member 32. As such, when theengaging hook 21 is not engaged with the transverse rod 201 a of theseat body 201, the operating member 3 compresses the second elasticmember 32. At this time, the elastic force of the first elastic member22 exerted upon the engaging hook 21 is larger than the elastic force ofthe second elastic member 32 exerted upon the engaging hook 21 via theoperating member 3, and the first elastic member 22 abuts against theengaging hook 21 to make the engaging hook 21 located at the releasingposition. On the other hand, when the accessory 100 is engaged with thetransverse rod 201 a of the seat body 201, the transverse rod 201 acompresses the first elastic member 22. At this time, the second elasticmember 32 slides the operating member 3 to push the engaging hook 21, soas to rotate the engaging hook 21 to the locking position to be engagedwith the transverse rod 201 a for mounting the accessory 100 on the seatbody 201. When the accessory 100 needs to be detached from the seat body200, the operating member 3 can be operated to compress the secondelastic member 32 to push the engaging hook 21, so as to rotate theengaging hook 21 to the releasing position to be disengaged from thetransverse rod 201 a for detaching the accessory 100 from the seat body201. The designs of the engaging portion 2 and the operating member 3are not limited to the aforesaid embodiment. In another embodiment, forexample, the engaging portion 2 could be slidably disposed on the mainbody 1, and the operating member 3 could abut against the engagingportion 2. In such a manner, the operating member 3 can be operated topush the engaging portion 2, so that the engaging portion 2 can slide tothe releasing position (at the same time, the engaging portion 2compresses the first elastic member 22) to be detached from the mainbody 201 of the infant seat 200. When the operating member 3 isreleased, the second elastic member 32 can drive the operating member 3to return to its original position, and the first elastic member 22 candrive the engaging portion 2 to slide to the locking position. Inanother embodiment, the engaging portion 2 could be pivotally disposedon the main body 1 and could be connected to the operating member 3,such that the operating member 3 can directly drive the engaging portion2 to rotate to the releasing position and make the engaging portion 2compress the first elastic member 22.

Please refer to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 . The operating member 3 has aninsertion member 31 fixed thereon, and the engaging hook 21 has aninsertion slot 211 formed thereon. The insertion member 31 can beengaged with or disengaged from the insertion slot 211 together withsliding of the operating member 3. When sliding of the operating member3 pushes the engaging hook 21 to rotate to the locking position, theinsertion member 31 is inserted into the insertion slot 211 for lockingthe engaging hook 21 at the locking position more firmly. When slidingof the operating member 3 pushes the engaging hook 21 to rotate to thereleasing position, the insertion member 31 is disengaged from theinsertion slot 211.

Please refer to FIG. 7 and FIG. 10 . The accessory 100 of the presentinvention could further include an insertion pin 4 and a blocking member5. The insertion pin 4 is slidably disposed on the operating member 3,and the blocking member 5 is fixed to the main body 1 in a slidingdirection of the operating member 3 for blocking the insertion pin 4.The insertion pin 4 can be driven to be disengaged from the blockingmember 5, so as to make the operating member 3 slidable. Specifically, asliding slot 33 is formed on the operating member 3, and the insertionpin 4 is slidably disposed in the sliding slot 33. Moreover, theaccessory 100 could further include a third elastic member 41 forreturning the insertion pin 4 to its original position. The thirdelastic member 41 is disposed between the insertion pin 4 and theoperating member 3. In this embodiment, the third elastic member 41 is atorsional spring, but not limited thereto. When the insertion pin 4 isdriven to slide and then be disengaged from the blocking member 5, theinsertion pin 4 compresses the third elastic member 41. When theinsertion pin 4 is released, the third elastic member 41 can drive theinsertion pin 4 to return to its original position.

Please refer to FIGS. 5-7 and FIG. 10 . The accessory 100 could furtherinclude a secondary security lock 6 slidably disposed on the main body1. The secondary security lock 6 can slide to push the insertion pin 4,so as to make the insertion pin 4 disengaged from the blocking member 5.Specifically, a ramped surface 61 is formed on an end of the secondarysecurity lock 6. The secondary security lock 6 can drive the insertionpin 4 via the ramped surface 61, but the present invention is notlimited thereto. Moreover, the accessory 100 of the present inventioncould further include a fourth elastic member 62 for returning thesecondary security lock 6 to its original position. The fourth elasticmember 62 is disposed between the secondary security lock 6 and the mainbody 1. In this embodiment, the fourth elastic member 62 is a compressedspring, but not limited thereto. When the secondary security lock 6 isoperated to slide for pushing the insertion pin 4, the secondarysecurity lock 6 compresses the fourth elastic member 62. When thesecondary security lock 6 is released, the fourth elastic member 62drives the secondary security lock 6 to slide in an opposite directionand then return to its original position, and the secondary securitylock 6 no longer pushes the insertion pin 4.

Please refer to FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, the main body 1 is a frontprotection body, but not limited thereto. The main body 1 could includea buffer portion 11 and a connection frame 12. The buffer portion 11 isconnected to the connection frame 12. The engaging portion 2, theoperating member 3, the blocking member 5 and the secondary securitylock 6 are disposed on the connection frame 12. Specifically, theengaging hook 21 is pivoted to the connection frame 12. The operatingmember 3 and the secondary security lock 6 are slidably disposed on theconnection frame 12, and are partially exposed for operationalconvenience. The blocking member 5 is fixed to the connection frame 12.The buffer portion 11 can provide a buffer to an infant sitting on theseat body 201. Further, the connection frame 12 could be slidablydisposed at a side of the buffer portion 11. By sliding the connectionframe 12 on the buffer portion 11, a distance between the buffer portion11 and the main body 201 can be adjusted accordingly when the engagingportion 2 is engaged with the seat body 201, so that the main body 1 canbe suitable for infants of different sizes.

Please refer to FIGS. 1-10 . The detailed description for the operationsof the accessory 100 of the present invention is provided as follows.

When the accessory 100 is engaged with the transverse rod 201 a of theseat body 201, the transverse rod 201 a compresses the first elasticmember 22. At this time, the second elastic member 32 drives theoperating member 3 to slide for pushing the engaging hook 21, so thatthe engaging hook 21 can rotate to the locking position to be engagedwith the transverse rod 201 a. As such, the accessory 100 can be mountedon the seat body 201. When the accessory 100 needs to be detached fromthe seat body 201, the secondary security lock 6 can be operated toslide for pushing the insertion pin 4 via the ramped surface 61 of thesecondary security lock 6, so that the insertion pin 4 can slide to bedisengaged from the blocking member 5 for making the operating member 3operable to slide. At this time, the secondary security lock 6compresses the fourth elastic member 62. Subsequently, the operatingmember 3 can be operated to slide and compress the second elastic member32 for pushing the engaging hook 21, so that the engaging hook 21 canrotate to the releasing position to be disengaged from the transverserod 201 a. As such, the accessory 100 can be detached from the seat body201.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An accessory comprising: a main body comprising abuffer portion and a connection frame, the connection frame beingslidably disposed at a side of the buffer portion; an engaging portiondisposed on the connection frame, the engaging portion having a lockingposition for engaging with an infant seat and a releasing position fordisengaging from the infant seat, the engaging portion comprising anengaging hook and a first elastic member disposed between the engaginghook and the main body for returning the engaging hook to its originalposition, the engaging hook being pivoted to the main body, and thefirst elastic member directly contacting and abutting against theengaging hook and the main body to drive the engaging hook to rotate tothe releasing position; and an operating member slidably disposed on theconnection frame and connected to the engaging portion, the operatingmember being operated to slide for switching the engaging portionbetween the locking position and the releasing position.
 2. Theaccessory of claim 1, wherein the engaging hook is connected to theoperating member, and the engaging hook rotates between the lockingposition and the releasing position via sliding of the operating member.3. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the operating member has aconnection pin fixed thereon, a guide slot is formed on the engaginghook, the connection pin is movably disposed in the guide slot, and theoperating member rotates the engaging hook via the connection pin. 4.The accessory of claim 3, wherein the operating member further has aninsertion member fixed thereon, an insertion slot is formed on theengaging hook, and the insertion member is inserted into or disengagedfrom the insertion slot via sliding of the operating member.
 5. Theaccessory of claim 1, wherein the accessory further comprises a secondelastic member for returning the operating member to its originalposition, and the second elastic member is disposed between theoperating member and the main body.
 6. The accessory of claim 5, whereinan elastic force of the first elastic member exerted upon the engaginghook is larger than an elastic force of the second elastic memberexerted upon the engaging hook via the operating member.
 7. Theaccessory of claim 1, wherein the accessory further comprises aninsertion pin and a blocking member, the insertion pin is slidablydisposed on the operating member, the blocking member is fixed to themain body in a sliding direction of the operating member for blockingthe insertion pin, and the operating member is slidable when theinsertion pin is disengaged from the blocking member.
 8. The accessoryof claim 7, wherein a sliding slot is formed on the operating member,and the insertion pin is slidably disposed in the sliding slot.
 9. Theaccessory of claim 7, wherein the accessory further comprises a thirdelastic member for returning the insertion pin to its original position,and the third elastic member is disposed between the insertion pin andthe operating member.
 10. The accessory of claim 7, wherein theaccessory further comprises a secondary security lock slidably disposedon the main body, and the secondary security lock slides for pushing theinsertion pin to be disengaged from the blocking member.
 11. Theaccessory of claim 10, wherein a ramped surface is formed on an end ofthe secondary security lock, and the secondary security lock drives theinsertion pin to slide via the ramped surface.
 12. The accessory ofclaim 10, wherein the accessory further comprises a fourth elasticmember for returning the secondary security lock to its originalposition, and the fourth elastic member is disposed between thesecondary security lock and the main body.
 13. An infant seatcomprising: a seat body; and an accessory comprising: a main bodycomprising a buffer portion and a connection frame, the connection framebeing slidably disposed at a side of the buffer portion; an engagingportion disposed on the connection frame, the engaging portion having alocking position for engaging with the seat body and a releasingposition for disengaging from the seat body, the engaging portioncomprising an engaging hook and a first elastic member disposed betweenthe engaging hook and the main body for returning the engaging hook toits original position, the engaging hook being pivoted to the main body,and the first elastic member directly contacting and abutting againstthe engaging hook and the main body to drive the engaging hook to rotateto the releasing position; and an operating member slidably disposed onthe connection frame and connected to the engaging portion, theoperating member being operated to slide for switching the engagingportion between the locking position and the releasing position.
 14. Theinfant seat of claim 13, wherein the seat body has a transverse rod forengaging with the engaging portion.
 15. The infant seat of claim 13,wherein the engaging hook is connected to the operating member, and theengaging hook rotates between the locking position and the releasingposition via sliding of the operating member.
 16. The infant seat ofclaim 15, wherein the operating member has a connection pin fixedthereon, a guide slot is formed on the engaging hook, the connection pinis movably disposed in the guide slot, and the operating member rotatesthe engaging hook via the connection pin.